14 - Public Involvement in Garment Design Research

This chapter explores principles of public involvement in health research and applies these principles to garment design research. The authors illustrate how the principles of public involvement in research are transferable to other kinds of research that have a design component. Whilst involving the public in health research is now both common and expected by many research funders, it is an underdeveloped aspect of garment design research. This is partly due to a lack of recognition of the benefits the public may bring to the design research process and an absence of policy drivers and public expectation demanding such involvement, as is the case in the health field. Increasingly in the health field, research commissioners expect demonstrable public involvement in publicly funded research. This accountability and moral drive to do good with public resources may not be mirrored in industry-funded research, and so other drivers must be evident if public involvement is to be more widely adopted. Advocates of public involvement believe it will enhance research quality, and there is a gathering evidence base that suggests it does just that.